Machine-aligning apparatus



W. L. CHANDLER A MACHINE ALIGNING APPARATUS July 21, 1925. 1,546.968

Filed Feb. 17, 1925 snwuto'a Patented July 21, 1925.

UNITED STATES WILLIAM L. CHANDLER,

OF CEDAR RAPIDS, IOWA.

MACHINE-ALIGNING APPARATUS.

Application filed February To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, IVILLIAM L. GHAN- DLER, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Cedar Rapids, in the county of Linn and State ofIowa, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inMachine-Aligning Apparatus, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to the raising and lowering of machines to bringthe axes of two machines into exact alignment, and the object of thisinvention is to provide apparatus whereby the operation may be performedvery quickly and easily.

The apparatus as herein shown and described is designed moreparticularly for use in testing the electric generators of automobiles,but is applicable to many other machines which are to be coupled withaxesin true alignment.

The invention is fully set forth in the description and claimsfollowing, reference being had to the accompanying drawing, in whichFig. 1 is a side elevation of a device embodylng my invention as in use.Fig. 2 is an elevation of the same as seen from the right of Fig. 1.

In the drawing, the numeral 5 denotes an electric generator, shownconventionally, which it is desired to test by operating at variousspeeds by a changeable speed motor 6, also shown conventionally. Thesegenerators differ much in size, and to bring any particular generatorinto exact axial alignment, vertically considered, especially, is arather tedious and troublesome operation in connection with a motor, theheight of whose axis is fixed. Unless so aligned the two machines willnot operate satisfactorily, and cannot be operated with safety at highspeeds at all. The device now to be described makes it possible to makethe adjustment very quickly and nicely.

A base 7 has upstanding side wings 8, and across these ismounted a pairof parallel shafts 9 in semicircular notches at the tops of the wings,leaving half. or more of the circumference of the shaft exposed to formpivot bearings for tables 10 and 11 having similarly formed and notcheddepending wings 12 and 13, respectively. All the wings are held in placelaterally with respect to the pivots by lateral collars 14 and 15 formedon the shafts. As will be evident, the tables or platforms may rock alimited distance in 17, 1925; Serial No. 9,833.

either direction. At one side of each platform is rigidly secured a post16, the pair being exactly of the same length, and connected pivotallyat the upper ends by a connecting-rod 17. In practice ball and socketpivots of a familiar type are preferred, and their distance apart shouldexactly coincide with that of the lower pivots. The platforms are thusmade to rock in unison, and whatever may be their angle the planes ofthe r upper surfaces, made perfectly flat, will be exactly parallel. Theplatforms are held at any desired angle by a tie-rod 18 pivoted(preferably by ball-and-socket joint) at 19, and having a stem 20passing through a rockable guide 21 provided with a clamping hand-screw22.

So long as the platforms are weighted and in 'normal position they keeptheir places without any other means for holding them together. Springs23 are shown connectin the smaller platform with the base, and of coursethe same may be applied to the larger platform, if necessary.

In Fig. 1 the platforms are shown in a level position, with the pivotsfor the smaller platform somewhat elevated. The electric generator isshown mounted on a V-block,

and in this case its shaft aligns with that of the motor with theplatforms in this level position. Vith alarger generator the platformswould tip to the left, and contrawise for a smaller generator.

The generator is held in position on the platform by a clamping screw24; in a togglearm 25 mounted slidably on the adjacent post. This isgrooved at 163 and to the hub 26, suitably provided with lugs 27, ispivoted a spring-controlled latch 28. The toggle may thus be quicklyraised or lowered on the post, and clamping pressure applied by a fewturns of the screw. The jointed construction of the toggle arm,revoluble on the post, makes it possible to apply the clamp ing pressureat any desired point.

With a motor shaft as long relatively as shown in Fig. 1, an outboardbearing 29 is desirable, to prevent lateral vibration, especially whenrunning at high speed.

Having thus described my invention, I claim:

1. In machine-aligning apparatus, the combination of a base, a pair ofrockable platforms mounted thereon by parallel pivots, a connecting-roddisposed in a plane parallel to the plane of said pivots, and pivotsconnecting the rod with the respective platforms at points equallyspaced from the supporting pivots, and at the same distance apart assaid supporting pivots, whereby the platforms rock in parallelism, asspecilied.

2. In maehine-aligning apparatus, the combination of a base, a pair ofroclrable platforms mounted thereon by supporting parallel pivots,upstanding'posts carried by the platforms, and a connecting-rodpivotally engaging said posts at pointsoqually spaced from therespective supporting pivots, and equally spaced transversely thereto.

3. In machine-aligning apparatus, the combination of a base, a pair ofroclrable platforms mounted thereon by supporting parallel pivots,upstanding posts carried by the platforms, a connecting-rod pivoted tothe posts in parallelism with the supporting pivots longitudinally andvertically, and means adapted to secure the platforms in position at anydesired angle.

4. in machine-aligning apparatus, the combination of a base,transversely parallel pivots thereon, a pair of platforms earried bysaid pivots, .pstanding men'ibers having pivots disposed in doubleparallelism (longitudinally and vertically) with the supporting pivots,a connecting-rod for the upt er pivots, a tie-rod pivoted to one of saidner'bei's, a guide therefor. and means for so ,Zring the tie-rod in saidguide,

5. it nuichine-aligning device, comprising a base with upstanding sides,parallel pivot members mounted on said sides and partial- 1y seatedtherein, platforms with dependi,

mgr me par .lly seated on said pivot members and rockable thereon,upstanding posts carried by the platforms, a connectingrod pivoted tosaid upstanding members, the supporting pivots and rod-connected pivotsforming a parallelogram, a tierod pivoted to one of the members, a guidetherefor attached roclrably to the base, and means for securing the tierod in said guide.

6. An adjustable support for two machines, comprising a base withupstanding sides, a pair of platforms with depending sides coincidingwith the sides of the base, parallel pivotshafts partially seated in thesides oi the base, and provided with lateral collars to confine the basesides and depending plattorn'i wings, and means adapted to impartcoincident movement to the platforms, and to hold them in any desiredposition, the planes of their supporting surfaces being always parallel.

7. In machine-aligning ap aratus, a sup porting base, a pair ofplatiorms lockable thereon, posts carried by said platforms, a pivotedcross-connecting rod therefor, eans to secure the platforms at anydesired angle, and a machine clamping device consisting of a toggle-armslidable on one of the posts, with means for attaching it thereto, and aterminal clan'iping screw.

8. In machine-aligning apparatus, a supporting bas having-.1 rastandingsiides, parallel pivot-shafts part loly seatee in said sides, a pair ofplatforms with depending sides partially seated on the pivot-shafts,springs adapted to hold the base and platlorms together, and means ad;)lJCHl to give concurrent and parallel iz'eove nt to the platforms, andto hold them at any desired angle.

In testimony whereof: I aiiiz; ivy signature in presence of twowitnesses.

F. \V. ARMSTRONG. Gnonen Mmoo.

